McLaren's technical blunder in Las Vegas, a 0.1mm underfloor plank infraction, led to Lando Norris's disqualification, slashing their championship lead from 42 to 24 points. This unforced error revives Max Verstappen's title hopes, creating a tense championship fight and drawing parallels to McLaren's 2007 season collapse.
Super Formula champion Ayumu Iwasa's race engineer believes Iwasa's driving skill and technical ability would make him a stronger F1 driver than Yuki Tsunoda. Iwasa's recent title win and consistent performance highlight his potential, but despite his F1 experience with Red Bull, a race seat remains elusive. His future plans are uncertain, while his current team hopes for his return to defend his Super Formula crown.
The 2025 Formula 1 season heads to the Losail International Circuit for the Qatar Grand Prix, featuring the final Sprint weekend of the year. With 33 points up for grabs and a tight championship battle, the schedule includes a single practice session before Sprint Qualifying on Friday, followed by the Sprint Race and Grand Prix Qualifying on Saturday, and the main race on Sunday. Max Verstappen, Oscar Piastri, and Lando Norris are locked in a close fight for the title.
Max Verstappen's Las Vegas Grand Prix victory and the subsequent disqualification of McLaren's Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri have dramatically altered the betting landscape for the 2025 F1 World Championship. Bookmakers have significantly boosted Verstappen's title chances, shortening his odds from 12/1 to 7/2, while Norris's odds have slightly lengthened and Piastri's have substantially fallen.
McLaren faced a significant "blunder" in Las Vegas, as Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri were disqualified due to excessive plank wear, costing them crucial championship points. Attributed to unexpected porpoising, this setback provided a massive boost to Max Verstappen's title hopes. Jos Verstappen criticized McLaren's aggressive setup choices and Norris's on-track aggression, adding immense pressure to the team as the championship tightens.
Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko found McLaren's radio instruction to Lando Norris to "attack Max" hilarious after Max Verstappen responded by setting the fastest lap and dominating the Las Vegas Grand Prix. Verstappen, in a "masterclass" performance, easily extended his lead to finish 20.7 seconds ahead, showcasing his control and the Red Bull's formidable pace, further intensifying the championship battle with two rounds remaining.
Charles Leclerc gave an all-out performance at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, taking 'massive risks' to climb from P9 to P4, a result later upgraded from P6 after McLaren's disqualification. Despite his efforts, Leclerc expressed frustration over Ferrari's car setup and strategic missteps that made the race 'crazy' and forced him to drive '200 percent' to compensate for the car's straight-line speed deficit and poor pit strategy.
Lando Norris expressed his disappointment and admitted he needs to "learn" from his "embarrassing" start at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, where he overshot Turn 1 from pole. Despite a challenging race, which ultimately ended in disqualification for illegal plank wear for both him and Oscar Piastri, Norris emphasized that a win was unlikely due to car performance issues. He now faces a tight championship battle with Max Verstappen looming.
Fernando Alonso is eager to see the back of Aston Martin's AMR25 car, viewing the final races of the season as a 'celebration' as the team looks ahead to a crucial 2026. This sentiment comes amidst reports of team principal Andy Cowell's departure and speculation linking Christian Horner to the vacant leadership role, signaling a period of significant change and uncertainty for the Silverstone-based squad.
McLaren's double disqualification in Las Vegas due to worn skid blocks has drastically impacted their championship hopes, shrinking Lando Norris's lead over Max Verstappen to just 24 points. This incident has put CEO Zak Brown under immense pressure, drawing comparisons to past McLaren title collapses, as the team now faces an intense fight to secure the championship in the remaining races.
Lewis Hamilton has expressed deep pessimism about the upcoming F1 2026 season with Ferrari, stating he's "not looking forward" to it after calling the current season his "worst ever." His disheartened comments, following a challenging Las Vegas Grand Prix, raise concerns for Ferrari, who are relying on his experience and new regulations to return to championship contention. This outlook puts pressure on both Hamilton and the team to find a breakthrough.
McLaren's double disqualification from the Las Vegas Grand Prix for excessive rear plank wear has raised questions, as their car typically emphasizes front skid usage. This unusual infringement may stem from their aggressive pursuit of performance against rivals, a specific setup change for Las Vegas to combat tire issues, or the FIA's enhanced scrutiny with advanced measuring tools. The team is now conducting an internal review to understand if this was an isolated incident or signals a need for a revised approach.
